Cambios en el uso y cobertura de la tierra entre 1948 y 2012 en el Humedal Nacional Térraba-Sierpe, Costa Rica

Abstract

The Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands (HNTS) is the largest wetland in Costa Rica, located in the South-Eastern part of the country between the geographical coordinates 8° 47” North Latitude and 83° 38” West Longitude. It is comprised of the Terraba-Sierpe delta, which is covered with dense mangrove vegetation that has been modified for over six decades for agricultural land uses. This paper was aimed at studying land use and cover changes of the Terraba-Sierpe National Wetlands based on the interpretation of aerial photographs and a satellite image, as well as field corroboration to understand the trends during the 64 years of analysis associated with climatic, geomorphological, and anthropic patterns. A net periodic loss by deforestation was determined between 1948 and 2012 exceeding 2 562.79 ha, with an annual net loss of 40 ha per year. This paper helped to generate a baseline in the analysis of land use and cover changes in the Terraba-Sierpe Wetlands, quantify the anthropic impact on the mangrove and adjacent areas over 40 years, and evidence the good decisions made in terms of environmental legislation during the 1990s for the protection of these fragile ecosystems.